Stretching frame



- phi 2l, 1936. u A G' BORNTRAEGER 2,037,757

STRETCHING FRAME Filed Dec. 20, 1954 2 ShetS-Shee 1 ATTORNEY gg l 5-2W?gl( L @10 G BoRNTRI/JTORER S'TRETCHI NG FRAME Filed Deo. 2O,l 1934, 2Sheets-Sheet 2 A E BURNTRAEGER IN VENT OR BY fww A TTORNE Y PatentedApr. 21, 1936 UNITEDr4 STATES PATENT OFFICE STRETCHING FRAME.

Arthur G, Borntraeger, Akron, Ohio Application December 20, 1934,l.Serial No. 758,360

' 7 claims. (c1. 45`24 This invention relates to improvements in framesfor mounting curtains or other sheet material in a taut or stretchedcondition while drying.

Objects of the invention are-to provide a stretching frame of simple,durable construction which may be manufactured ata lowcost; which iscomposed of separable sections and can be quickly and conveniently takenapart and packed to occupy a relatively small amount of y'space inshipment or storage; which will retain a truev rectangular shapeevenw-hen subjected to a long period of hard usage; which willautomatically hold a curtain or other'flat rectangular sheet material inits normal shape and size; which will be easily and .convenientlyoperated and will be very efllcient in use.

The above objects, which may be .considered separately or collectively,are attained'by the construction herein shown anddescribed, it beingunderstood that the invention is not .confined to the illustrativeadaptation disclosed in the drawings, and that changes and modificationsmay be made and various mechanical experiments employed in reducingdifferent forms of the invention .to practice. l

In the drawings:- Figure l is a front, elevational Vview of a curtainstretching frame constructed in accordance with this invention,

Figure 2 is arear elevational View of same,

Figure 3 is a horizontal, sectional view taken through the horizontallymovable, vertical bar as indicated by the lines 3 3 of Figure l,

Figure 4 is a similar vview .taken through .the vertically movable,horizontal bars as indicated by the lines ll-II of Figure 1,

Figure 5 is a front, elevational view of a frame constructed inaccordance with 'this invention, the same being shown with portions ofthe movable bars cut awa-yand shown in `section to more clearlyillustrate the manner of mounting the same in the frame.

The invention will now be described with 4rleference to the particularadaptation thereof disclosed in the drawings in-whichthere is shown arectangular frame composed of side'rails G and 1, a top rail Sand abottomrail 9 which .are held in assembled relation by the cornermembersI0.

Each of the corner members I0 are Stamped or otherwise formed cfrelatively thin, sheet material having the outer edges thereof disposedat a right angle to eachother,

The numeral II` denotesia flange which projects forwardly at l a right,angle from-the main body of the plate II) and extends `along one of theouter edges thereof. The numeral I2 denotes a similar flange whichextends along the other outer edge thereof. Each corner plate I n isprovided cn the inner side lthereof with a flange I3 which projectsforwardly therefrom in parallel, spaced relation to the flange I I andwith a flange I4 which projects forwardly therefrom in parallel, spacedrelation to the flange I2. AThe flanges II` and I3 are vdesigned tosnugly receive one end portion of one of the side or end rails 6, 1, 8and 9 and the flanges I2 and I4 are arranged to receive the end portionof the adjacent rail to hold said rails in rectangular form.

Each bracket IIJ is also provided on the inner side thereof with thediagonal edge I5 leaving a portion i001, of Ithe web thereof exposed fora purpose presently to appear. Each corner member i0 is' provided in theweb thereof with a plurality of .openings I6, vtwo of which are disposedin a line extending longitudinally between the flanges Ii and I -3 andtwo of which are likewise disposed between the flanges I2 and I4.

Each opening IB is provided on the side presented toward ,the cornermember I0 with a relatively narrow extension. Each of the rails .6, 1, 8and 9 are `provided on the back thereof with Aa screw or headed pin I1which are initially inserted in the opening I6 and the rail moved towardthe corner to position the screw I:I in the extension of the slot withthe headof the Vscrew Iil `engaging the rear face of the web of thecorner member Ill; The rails 6, `l, 8 and 9 are thus `assembled in thecorner members ID to form a strong rigid frame. 35

The inner, marginal vend portions of the rails t, 1, .8 and 9 are offsetrearwardly to provide a longitudinally extending, marginal surface I8which is offset rearwardlyfrom the forward face of the frame. Each ofthe bores 6 and,8 are provided with a row of closelyspaced pins I9 whichextend longitudinally ofthe marginal edge I8 in spaced relation to theinner ,edge thereof.

The numeral ;20 denotes a vertical bar which is mounted in the plane ofthe frame and which is provided at each end thereof with a portion 20aVwhich'overlaps the ,extreme, outer edge por.- tion of ythe marginalsurface I8 of the rails 8 and 9.

The ,bar .20 is also provided at each end thereof on therear yfacethereof with a plate 2l which is suitably ,secured thereto so as 'tooverlap the rportion of the Arear faceof eachof the rails .8 and;9thereby positioningthebar2 0 inthe frame for sliding movementhorizontally of y.theframe The bar 28 is provided on the forward facethereof adjacent the edge presented toward the rail 8 with a marginalface I8 which is similar to the face I8 on the rail 6 and is disposed inapproximately the same plane. The marginal face I8 of the rail 28 islikewise provided with a longitudinally extending row of spaced pins I9.The rail 28 is provided on the side presented toward the rail 1 with thehollow extension 22 which is preferably composed of relatively, thinsheet metal and which extends longitudinally thereof.

The extension 22 is provided at the upper end thereof with a doublegrooved sheave 23 and at the lower end thereof with a similar sheave 24.The said sheaves are operatively secured between the walls of theextension 22 by means of the pins 25 so as to be operable in the planeof the frame.

The numeral 26 denotes a cable or other ilexible element having one endthereof suitable secured to the web I8a on the corner bracket I8 whichconnects the rails 6 and 8 and which extends along the inner edge of therail 8 through a suitable bore 21 in the upper end portion of the bar 28and is operatively mounted in one of the grooves of the sheave 23. Theflexible element 28 extends downwardly through the cavity of theextension 22 and is operatively mounted in one of the grooves of thesheave 24 from which it extends along the upper edge of the rail 9 withthe other end thereof suitably secured to the web I8a of the cornermember I8 which connects the rails 1 and 9.

The numeral 28 denotes a cable or other suitable, flexible elementhaving one end thereof suitably secured to the web I8a in the cornermember I8 which connects the rails 6 and 9 and which extends along theupper edge of the rail 9 and is entered through a suitable bore 29 inthe lower end portion of the rail 28 and is operatively mounted in oneof the grooves on the sheave 24 from which the flexible element 28extends upwardly through the cavity of the extension 22 and isoperatively mounted in the other groove of the sheave 23 from which theflexible member 28 extends along the lower edge of the rail and issuitably secured to the web I8a on the corner member connecting therails 1 and 8.

It will thus be seen that the cables 26 and 28 pass over the sheaves 23from opposite directions and that said cables are crossed between thesheave 23 and the sheave 24 so as to project from the sheave 24 inopposite directions thereby mounting the vertical bar 28 for movementlongitudinally of the frame.

It will also be seen that the arrangement above described connes the topand bottom of the bar 20 to a like movement whereby the bar 20 whilemovable longitudinally of the frame will also be maintained in parallelrelation to the side rails 6 and 1.

The numeral 38 denotes a bar similar to the bar 28 which is positionedto extend horizontally across the frame with the end portions thereofoverlapping the forward face of the side rails 8 and 1. The forward faceof the bar 38 is also provided along the upper edge thereof with amarginal face I8 which is similar to the marginal faces I8 on the otherrails 6, 8 and 28 and which is similarly provided with a longitudinallyextending row of pins I9. The rail 38 is provided along the lower edgethereof with a hollow extension 3| which is similar to the extension 22and is preferably composed of sheet metal and which is secured to thebar 38 so as to extend longitudinally thereof.

The rail 38 is provided in the end portion thereof overlapping the rail6 with a double groove sheave 32 which is mounted between the walls ofthe extension 3I so as to be operable in a plane disposed in parallelrelation to the plane of the frame. The rail 38 is provided at the otherend thereof with a similar sheave 33 which is suitably mounted betweenthe walls of the extension 3| so as to be operable in the same planewith the sheaves 32.

The numeral 34 denotes a cable or other flexible element having one endtheref secured to the rail 9 by means of the clamp 35 or other suitablefastening means and which extends upwardly along the rail 6 and isoperatively mounted in one of the grooves of the pulley 32 from which itextends longitudinally through the cavity of the extension 3l and isoperatively mounted in one of the grooves in the sheave 33 from which itextends upwardly through a suitable bore 36 in the rail 38 and extendsalong the rail 1 with the upper end thereof secured to the end portionof the rail 8 which contacts with the rail 1.

The numeral 38 denotes a similar cable or other flexible element whichis secured to the lower rail 9 by means of the clamp 39 and whichextends upwardly along the rail 1 and is operatively mounted in one ofthe grooves of the pulley 33.

Said cable 38 extends longitudinally through the cavity of the extension3I and is operatively mounted in the other groove in the sheave 32 fromwhich it extends upwardly through a suitable bore in the rail 38 andextends along the rail 6 with the upper end thereof secured to the rail8 by means of the clamp 48 or other suitable fastening means.

It Will also be seen that the flexible element 38 extends around theupper side of the sheave 33 and around the lower side of the sheave 32,while the flexible element 34 extends over the upper side of the sheave32 and around the lower side of the sheave 33, thus providing a barmounting which will permit the bar 38 to be moved vertically but will atall times maintain the same in parallel relation to the bars 8 and 9.

In using the frame herein described to dry curtains, the bar 28 is movedto a position where the distance between it and the rail 6 willapproximately equal the length of the curtain. The bar 38 is likewisemoved relative to the rail 8 to provide an intervening distance equal tothe width of the curtain. One edge portion of the curtain is Vthenevenly secured to the rail 8 by positioning the pins I8 through the edgeportions of the curtain.

The one end of the curtain is then likewise secured to the rail 6 andthe other end and side thereof are likewise respectively secured to thebars 28 and 38. The bars 28 and 38 then hold the curtain in a tautcondition until the same is dry.

In actual practice, it has been found that while the bars 28 and 38 areeasily movable in the frame that the same will hold the curtain in ataut condition without locking means but it is understood that anysuitable means may be employed to hold the bars 28 and 38 in a ilxedposition.

While the bars 28 and 38 are shown composed of a solid rail with atubular extension, the said bars may be formed of sheet metal to providea hollow bar or otherwise formed to provide space for the cables 26, 28,34 and 38 or,

the said cables may be mounted in an exposed position on said bars.

While the cables I8,'28, 34 and 38 are shown mounted on sheaves 23, 24,32 and 33, it is understood that any suitable means may be employed forslidably mounting the said cables on the bars 20 and 30.

While I have shown and described a particular frame composed o-fseparable sections, the bars 20 and 30 may be likewise mounted on anysuitable frame or other structure.

I claim:

1. In a device of the character described, a rectangular frame, curtainengaging means along one side rail thereof, a movable curtain engagingbar arranged in parallel relation to said side rail, said bar slidablyreceiving two cables which extend longitudinally thereof and projectfrom each end thereof with the opposite ends of each cable secured todiagonally opposite corner portions of said frame.

2. In a device of the character described, a rectangular frame; curtainengaging means on two adjacent side rails thereof; two movable curtainengaging bars; each of said bars arranged in parallel relation to one ofsaid side rails; two cables extending longitudinally of each bar, meansslidably securing the cables to each end of each bar with the end ofeach cable connected to diagonally opposite corners of the frame.

3. In a device of the character described, a frame having two adjacent,curtain-engaging side rails, two movable curtain engaging bars arrangedin respective, parallel relation to said side rails; each bar slidablyreceiving two cables which extend longitudinally thereof with each cableprojecting along the plane of the frame at right angles from each endthereof, with the opposite end portion of each cableprojecting from anopposite side of the bar and means securing each end of each cable tothe frame.

4. In a device of the character described, a frame having two adjacent,curtain-engaging side rails, two movable curtain-engaging bars arrangedin respective, parallel relation to said side rails; each bar slidablymounted on two cables which extend longitudinally thereof with eachcable projecting along the plane of the frame at a right angle from eachend thereof, with the opposite end portion of each cable projecting froman opposite side of the bar with each end of each cable secured todiagonally opposite corners of said form.

5. In a device of the character described, a rectangular frame; curtainengaging means on two adjacent side rails thereof; two movable curtainengaging bars; each of said bars arranged in parallel relation to one ofsaid side rails; each of said bars provided with a cavity which extendslongitudinally thereof, two cables extending through the cavity of eachbar and projecting laterally therefrom with the opposite end of eachcable secured to diagonally opposite corner portions of said frame.

6. In a device of the character described, a rectangular frame, curtainengaging means along one side rail thereof, a movable curtain engagingbar arranged in parallel relation to said side rail, said bar having acavity which extends longitudinally thereof; a sheave at each end ofsaid cavity, two cables extending through the cavity of each bar, saidcables oppositely mounted on said sheaves tc project in oppositedirections from each end of each bar with the opposite end of each cablesecured to the diagonally opposite corner portions of said frame.

7. In a device of the character described. a rectangular frame havingcurtain engaging rails on two adjacent sides thereof, two movablecurtain engaging bars, each bar having a hollow extension along one edgethereof; said bars respectively arranged in parallel relation to saidcurtain engaging rails; a pair of cables extending longitudinallythrough the cavity of said extension, a sheave at each end of saidextension and said cables oppositely positioned on said sheaves with theend cf each cable secured to diagonally opposite corner portions of saidframe.

ARTHUR G. BORNTRAEGER.

